Door for airship sheds, aeroplane hangars, and the like



Oct. 4 1927.

A. B. F. SMITH DOOR FOR AIRSHIP SHEDS, AEROPLANE HANGARS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 6, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 `Oct. 4,1927. l 1,644,285

A. B. F. SMITH DOOR FOR AIRSHIP SHEDS, AEROPLNE HANGARS, AND THE LIKE Filed March G 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m/// l ad a) all 45a 4e 5M. 50Q ffm/w, M71 /W Oct 4 1927 A. B. F. SMITH DOOR FOR AIRSHIP sHEDs, AEROPLANE HANGARS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 6 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 4, 192,7.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD BERRIDGE FRANKLIN SMITH, OF CALCUTTA, BRITISH INDIA.

DOOR I-OR AIRSHIP SHEDS, AEROPLANE HANGARS, AND THE LIX/E.

Application led 'March 6, 1924, Serial No. 697,372, and in British India January 11, 1924.

The invention relates to doors for airship sheds, aeroplane hangars or the like. By the expression or the like7 is meant structures like garages, cinema studios, movable partitions, core oven doors, and indeed any wide aperture which it is desired to open or close; but more particularly openings of large size exposed on one side'to the weather.

For aerodromes, aeroplane hangars and the like it is necessary to have very wide and sometimes very large or lofty openings which must open to allow the `airship or aeroplane toget in or out, but which it is advisable should be wind and weather-prooi` 7 when closed. Heretofore it has been usual to make the doors in a serles of panels or leaves each sliding in its `own runway. With a wide opening in order to keep the individual leaves 0r panels within manageable dimensions it has been necessary to use a large number of such leaves, which hasv accordingly necessitated a large number of runways-and as each runway and door leaf may overall be from four to six inches wide this has necessitated a wide projecting canopy to cover all the leaves. It also needs a large staff of workmen to open or close the door quickly. v

Doors have been proposed for aerodromes or the like in which a series of vertical membersl are adapted to slide in runways at theirv upper and lower ends, and a pair of solid panels are used -between ever two vertlcal members, said panels being hinged together with the outer edges of each panel of each pair hinged to the adjacent vertical members. In opening and closing these doors have a concertina action, that is to say 1n opening the two panels of each pair close up together and in closing the doors they may open out until the angle between the said panels 1s a right angle or an obtuse one.' It

it is in respect to doors of the kind last described that this invention relates.

In doors of this kind heretofore used the panels have been relatively wide-in some cases six or eight feet-so that when the door is closed the vertical members are spaced, say, eight to twelve feet apart. This makes the construction, particularly when applied to a lofty door of an aerodrome, very heavy, and this in turn necessitates the employment of a large staff of menl to open or close the door, as not only has each pair of panels to be closed up but all the series of panel pairs connected to cach other at the vertical members have to be pushed along the groove. In practice this requires sufficient men to be simultaneously stationed at each pair of panels, or at each vertical member, to col-V lapse the pair of panels and to push that part of the door along its groove.

Again, aerodromes and the like are often built in very exposed situations and the projecting panels particularly in their collapsed condition project outwards nearly the full width of one panel-and this projecting part must be covered by a canopy. A large projecting canopy increases the cost and adds to the constructional diiculties owing to the increased wind resistance offered thereby. Further, the weights of each of the pairs of panels is hung from the vertical members as fcantilevers-because the outer rojecting hinge between the pairs of panels 1s usually notA supported, and this brings a considerable side strain on the vertical members. The bendingv moment caused thereby increases about as the square of the width of the panel, and hence Wide projecting panels are at a disadvantage. In an exposed situation the wind pressure on a door may be very high and this is transferred to the vertical members.

As heretofore constructed doors of aerodromes of the 'kind described, as far as the applicant is aware, have' had their panels hinged together or tothe vertical members by hinges of ordinary types and a crack or opening has existed throughout the length of each contacting edge through which the wind and the rain may drive.

Lastly, as at present constructed the vertical members generally rely for lateral stiffness on the panels to which'they are attached. A horizontal tie may have been introduced between the vertical members, but one diiiicultyl has been to prevent these vertical .members from departing from their truly vertical position owing to a twisting/To closing orces can only be applied at about three to five feet from the ground Iwhich is not conducive'to easy or regular movement of a door which may be thirty or more feet in height.

the minor parts of vertical members of standard rolled or built up sections. Assistance, however, is given by keeping the width of each panel down to very conserva- 'L tive limits-say 2 6 or 3 0, whereby the side strain on the `vertical members, the proportion of weight or wind pressure carried by each pair of panels and the width of projection of the canopy are all reduced.

The panels are thus rotatably mounted members having no great thickness since they are built up generally of a single thickness of metal sheeting on a light framework, the

sheets being given the required amount of stiffness by having their lateral vertical edges beaded or corrugated in a manner hereinafter to be`described. The vertical members on the other hand, are made of suflicient depth and width to have a relatively large amount of stiffness or rigidity.

A reduction in the cost of erection by using lighter sections and a smaller canopy.

A great reduction in the cost, labour and time required to open and close the doorand an evenness in the application of the opening and closing forces which not only will lead to less energy being required, but also infiuence the weight and cost of the structure by eliminating unnecessary friction, distortion and jamming of the parts and thus tend to reduce impact, strain, stress and wear of the whole.

A great increase in the speed of opening. According to this invention the opening may be effected by a few men working a winch 0r the like, or by a suitable motor, and the crowd of men needed for the Work as ordinarily used no longer be required.

A more effective construction for distributing the wind pressure forces to the structure.

lA manner of construction whereby the joints between the various panels, or panels and vertical members, are made practically windand weather-tight. This construction also is of great advantage in preventing the spread of fire as cracks, crevices and open iuterstices through which flames ma are .reduced in number or largely eliminated.

lith the above land other objects in view the invention consists of a door of the ,kind

described for an airship shed, aero lane pass ways or the like, and having and supporting two narrow panels between each pair of vertical members, characterized by their bemg a curved overlapping knuckle connection forming a contacting part between each pair of panels and extending substantially the full depth of the panels to form a beading or corrugation along the contacting edges of the panels adapted to strengthen the same and to provide a weatherproof overlapping joint therebetween.

This knuckle connection will be made by the sheet-ing or plating of the panels, or by parts fitted thereto, being curved round to engage each other, and, in all positions of opening to preferably provide a substantial width of overlap in intimate contact for the purpose of acting as a wind, weatheror fire-proof joint efficiently and uniformly to distribute the wind pressure or other forces acting in one panel to the other panel paired thereto.

The invent-ion may consist of a dool` comprising a multiplicity of relatively stiff sliding vertical members and two light panels between each pair of vertical inemers connected together and to the vertical members in which there is a loose fit between the panels and the hinge parts on the vertical members so that the panels float on such hinge parts and are adaptedto provide substantially continuous contact between the curved edge of any anel and a contacting surface on the vertical member to which it connects. Thus the wind pressure acting on the panel surfaces causes the curved edge of each panel to take a bearing upon the contacting surface whereby the wind pressure is distributed evenly throughout the length of the panel to the vertical member instead of being concentrated at the individual hinge points. This construction also furnishes a continuous substantial windproof joint between the panels and the panel supporting vertical members.

To stilfen the panels one or more preferably lhorizontal tension ties may connect substantially the central points of any panel of a pair to the other panel of that pair, said ties being fully stretched when the door is closed. v

To stilfen the structure one or more sets of diagonal collapsible bracings may be introduced between each pair of, or any two adjacent, vertical members, which diagonals are adapted to. be stretched tight when the door is closed.

The invention may further comprise butfing arrangements attached to some, or all. of the vertical members to take the shock when opening the door. These bufing arrangements may take the form of springs arranged in the lnanner hereinafter described so ythat when the spring on one side of a Vertical lnemberreceives 'a bulling shock the spring on the other side will be placed under tension and stifi'en or strengthen the vertical memberto resist lateral Vdeforma-tion.

The invention may alsol comprise a-construction or arrangement whereby a winch, windlass or other winding machinery and a wire rope or ropes or equivalent means is or are used to open the door or to close the same. The said winch or equivalent means may be worked either by hand or motive power, and have wire ropes or the like, preferably endless, so arranged that as the ropes used for opening the door wind in those used for closing the door wind out, and vice versa. The rope or ropes used for this purpose are f attached to both the top and bottom of the members to be moved so that they are caused to move evenly together thus avoiding any tendencyfor either end to stick in its runway and thereby set up uneven and twisting strains in the structure. These ropes are usually connected to the other vertical members which, v'owing to the, relatively great rigidity or stiffnessl of the same are capable of satisfactorily transmitting the stresses caused by the tension of the ropes, to the various constituent members of the door.

The wire ropes or the like for closing the ldoor may pass through pipes, slots, or enclosed gui es so as to be out of the way when the door is open.

The invention finally consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts adapted to be operated or to function substantially as herein described.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numbers of reference indicate like like parts and in which :-y

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a door in part of which the panels are removed to show the vertical members, their diagonal bracings and the bufiing arrangements more clearly;

Fig. 2 is a part plan of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a ragmental section showing one follm the joint between a pair of panels may ta e' Fi, 5 and 6 are fragmental sections showing twomodifications of the joint between a panel and a verticall member;

Figs. 7 and 8 show a plan and side view of a form the tie between the two panels of a pair of panels may take; t

lFi 9 and 10 show views of details of the cagonal bracing between vertical members;

Figs. 11 buing arrangements may take; and

Fig. 13 is a'diagram of one arrangement of the opening and closing means.

In these figures the door comprlses a mul-- tiplicity of vertical members 1, 1 mounted at their lower ends on rollers 2, on runways and 12 show views of a form the or guides 3, and having suitable 'rollers or the like 4, 4 at their upperends running in a channel or guide 5 which may conveniently such is used or to both. Panels in pairs 6 and 6l are fitted between the vertical members. These panels may be made of sheet metal or other suitable material ixed to metal frame members 7, 7*". The `outer vertical edge 8 of the panel 6 is bent round into the segment of a circle, forming a strengthening corrugation or beading, and the edge 8a of panel 6a formed to fit the same curve so that the over-'lapping edges l1, 11a will form a; sort of continuous knucklejoint preferably extending the full depth of the joint. The overlap 11, 11'* will be such that even when the panels are collapsed in order to open the door to its fullest limit there will still be a reasonable width of overlap.

To hold the parts together hinges or palms (flattened and widened connecting eX- may be fixed to, or form part of, the frames 7, 7 a, or of the panels 6, 6, which hooks hold the panels together by means of pins 10.

It will be seen that the overlap 11, 11a makes a substantially wind and weatherproof joint, which will also help to prevent the spread of fire. Also the continuous contact between 8 and 8 helps to distribute the force exerted by the wind most effectively over the length of the panel 6 and ltherethrough to the'vertical post. In Figs. 5 and 6 a 'constructional feature 1s shown wherein the edges 11, 11 of the panels are curved round at 12, 12a and make a sort of knuckle joint with the ends 13, 13a of the member 14 which is riveted or otherwise securedy to the vertical members.

' If referred the member 14 may be replace by one curved as shown at 15 whereby a closer connection between the ends 12, 12* and this member 15 may be made.y Palm or hinge parts 16, 16* may be fitted to the frame 7 or 7 which may co-operate with hinge parts 19, 19l fixed say by bolt 17 to thevertical member 1. Suitable distance pieces 18 ma be introduced ifV desired. The pins 20, 20 vold the parts together.

If desired the pins 20, 20* may have a loose fit in the parts 16, 19 or 16, 19, so that the panels have-a floating connection kwith the vertical members and any wind pressure transmitted by the panel in question 6 or 6 may be distributed evenly' i 12 or 11, 12 to moveunder the wind "pressure so that they take a continuous bearing to the main spring 35 at 40 and 40"L andl on a suitable contact surface on the vertical member or on the curve of the part as the ease may be. The clearance between the panel fittings'and the pins 20, 20a allow for sheet when forced home by wind pressure.

The plate 14a might indeed be used for reinforcing the vertical member and thus serve two purposes.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a form the tie between two panels of a pair may take. Spreader plates 21, 21a may be fitted to the panels 6, 6a substantially about the centre of the panels and cleats 22, 22aor equivalent devices fixed thereto. A tie 23 is fixed to the pin 24 passing through cleat 22a. The other end of this tie 23 engages the pin 25. The tiel 23 as shown is riveted on pins 24, 25, by rivets 26 connecting its ends, but may take any suitable form. A second pair of tie plates 27 connect the pins 25 and 28 together. The tie may be given a set so that upon the door starting to be opened the tie will give inwards in the direction shown by the arrow on Fig. 7. By a slight movement of the pin in the slot formed by the two part-s of 23 and a movement about the pins 24 and 28 the tie buckles up out of the way when the panels 6 and 6*?L are collapsed.

Figs. 9 and 10 show a form the diagonal ties` yor braeings between the vertical members may take. In these figures the tie 29 is pivoted to pin 30 in cleat 31 fixed to the web of the vertical member 1. At the further end the tie engages the pin 34 moving in the slot 32 in the cleat 33 riveted tothe web o`f the next vertical. When the door is open the pin 34 moves to the end 321 of the slot, but when the door is 'closed the pin is hard upvaganst the lend 32a of the slot and holds the verticals'to properspaeed position.

In Figs. 11 and 12 the buffing arrangements are shown. In the modification illustrated the lspring 35 is held by the bolt, pin or rivet 36 and its further en'd is adapted to slide onthe rivet or the like 37, a slot 38 being formed in the spring for-that purpose. Subsidiary springs 39, 39a arefriveted adapted to lslide on the rivets or the like 41, 41--the ends of thesesprings 39, 39'L having slotted holes 42, 42 for the purpose. These buing arrangements are preferably fixed 'to the centreof the length of. the vertieals. Upon a shock being received in the directionef the arrow "shown in Fig. A11' the spring on the side receiving the shock Ais compressed and the end 35a slides downwards until the pin, bolt .or rivet 37 engages the endv 38b of the slot 38. The ends of the springs 39 andl 39*iL simultaneously slide on their pins 41, 41*1 until'th-ey engage the ends of their slots 42, 42a The arrangement then acts as a spring buffer to transmit truss the vertical member and prevent it `de` fleeting unduly under the shock.

An arrangement for o ening and closing the door is illustrated dlagrammatieally in Fig. 13. In this a winch orfequivalent means 43 is shown which may be worked by hand or by power. The wire rope or equivalent 44 passes around pulley 45 and along the top of the door as 'shown at 46. This part vof the rope is preferably encased in a pipe 47, or otherwise protected. The rope then passes around pulley 48 and the end is fastened at 49 to the outermost vertical member 1. A return rope 51 passes through apertures or slots 50, 50 (shown in Fig. 13) in the tops of vthe lvertical members 1, 1, then around pulley v52 and-back as shown at 53 to the winch or the like 43.

Similar arrangements are made with regard to the ropesl connected to the lower ends of the door, corresponding reference numerals with the designation a referring Ato like parts. The rope 46, however, may lie in a `pipe or in a slot. As arranged upon turning the drum of the winch in one direction the door is opened and on turning it in the other direction the door closes. will thus be seen that the rope or ropes are attached to both the top and thebottom of Jthe* other vertical members and both ends of these members must therefore, operate together in opening and closing the door. The said vertical members being relatively stifi:l and the opening and elosingforee being applied close to `both ends, the stresses4 produced in operating the door are reduced to a minimum and a much lighter construction can be use'd than is'possible when the rope acts only on one side of the door, as on either the top or the bottom.

It will of course beunderstood that I do not confine myself to the exact construction shown as it will beobvious that the details may be varied considerably without departing from the scope of the invention.

Panels having curved flanged edges forming continuous knuckle-like Joints provide a very eective'means for transmitting wind ItA pressure, because the' curved formation ,strengthens and stien the edges and renknuckle-like'joints may be made capable of transmitting any reasonable wind load coming onto a panel direct to the vertical members and distributing the load substantially uniformly throughoutthe length of the vertical member.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what Iclai/m/is 1. A door for aeroplane hangars and the like comprising, an upper and a lower runway, a pluralit of rigid vertical members arranged to reslst substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably mounted for movement in the runways, a pair of light relatively narrow panels of rigid, non-inflammable material connected between each adjacent pair of vertical members, each pair of panels being interconnected by an overlapping knuckle extending along the entire contacting edges of the panel to form a beading along the contacting edges so as to strengthen the panels and to provide a water proof overlapping joint between the panels, the connections between the panel and its vertical member being a loose folding horizontal connection extending continuously throughout the entire height of the panel, such connection including contacting curved edge portions on the vertical member and its panel whereby wind pressure on the panel surface forces the curved edge of the panel to bear throughout its entire lengthjagainst the curved surface on the vertical member whereby to evenly transmit the load from the panel to the vertical member.

2. A door for aeroplane hangars comprising, 's aced runways, a.,A plurality of rigid slidab e vertical members arranged to resist substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably received in the runways, apair of panels connected together along one edge and connected between each pair of adjacent vertical mem-v y bers at their other edges, the connections between the panels and between the vertical members and the panels being curved, overlappm knuckle joints running continuously throug out the height ofthe planel, and hinges loosely interconnecting vt e anels `and loosely -interconnecting t e ane s and vertical members to form folding joints, curved knuckle connections forming a continuous contact between each lpanel and its correspondin vertical member."

3. A door or aeroplane han ars comprising, spaced runways, a plura ity Aof rigid slidable Vertical members arranged to resist substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably received in the runways, a pair of panels connected together along one edge and connected between each pair of adjacent vertical members at their other edges, the connections between the panels and between the vertical members and the panels being curved, overlapping knuckle joints running continuously throughout the height of the panel, and hinges loosely interconnecting the panels and loosely interconnecting the panels and vertical members to. form folding joints, curved knuckle connections forming a continuous contact between each panel and its corresponding vertical member, at least one /substantially horizontal articulated tie member connecting the central points of each pair of panels, the tie members being .arranged to be fully stretched when the door is closed.

4. A door for aeroplane hangars comprising, spaced runways, a plurality of rigid slidable vertical members arranged to resist substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably received in the runways, a pair of panels con'- nected together along one edge and connected between eachv pair of adjacent vertical members at their other edges, the connections between the panels and between the vertical members and the panels being curved, overlapping knuckle joints running continuously throughout the height of the panel, and hinges lloosely interconnecting the panels and loosely interconnecting the anels and vertical members to form folding joints, curved knuckle connections forming a continuous contact between each panel and its corresponding vertical member, a diagonal collapsible bracing interconnectlng the adjacent Vertical members, the bracings being positioned to be stretched tight when the door is closed.

5. A door for aeroplane hangars comprising, spaced runways, a plurality of rigid slidable vertical members arranged to resist substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably received in lul) the runways, a pair of panels connected together along one edge and lconnected between each pair of adjacent vertical mem-- bers at their other edges, the connections between the panels and between the vertical members and the panels being curved, overlappin knuckle joints running continuously throug out the height of the panel, and hinges loosely interconnecting the panels and loosely interconnecting the' panels and vertical members to form folding joints, curved knuckle connections forming a continupus contact between each anel and its corre-I spending vertical mem er, buing members connected to the vertical members to ablin at either side of a Vertical member that a' shock absorber places the spring on one side of the tension and the spring on the other side under compression.

6. A door for aeroplane hangars comprising, spaced runways, a plurality of rigid slidable vertical members arranged to resist substantially the whole of the lateral forces applied to the door and slidably received in the runways, a pair of panels con-` nected together along one edge and connected between each pair of adjacent vertical members at their other edges, the connecf tions between the panels .and between the vertical members and the panels being curved, overlapping knuckle joints running continuously throughout the height of the panel, and hinges loosely interconnecting the panels and loosely interconnecting the panels and Vertical members to form folding` joints, curved knuckle connections forming a continuous contact between each panel and its corresponding vert-ical member, and cable means for operating the door to opening and closing positions. A

7 A door for aeroplane hangars, comprising, a door, cables attached to the door for opening and closing the same, the cables being attached to both top and bottom portions of the door, and a single opera-ting means to simultaneously operate the cables,

whereby uneven movement and sticking is prevented.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiX my signature, this 7th day of February, 1.924.

ARCHIBALD BERRIDGE FRANKLIN SMITH. 

